How a rose caused a prickly diplomatic problem for Margaret Thatcher

A THORNY diplomatic issue arose after both Germany and Japan named a new rose after Margaret Thatcher, her private papers reveal.

Margaret Thatcher had both a German and a Japanese rose named in her honour [GETTY]

A German grower asked the Prime Minister to launch his version and Mrs Thatcher accepted the Margaret Thatcher rose at Downing Street in 1984 as a German delegation looked on with pride.

But six years earlier she had given her blessing to a Japanese-grown flower of the same name.

We were not aware of this when the German proposal came forward and the Prime Minister had, I think, forgotten it

Charles Powell, Thatcher's private secretary

Diplomats feared Britain would be embarrassed if the Japanese grower, a Mr Takatori, took legal action.

Charles Powell, her Private Secretary, told the Foreign Office: “We were not aware of this when the German proposal came forward and the Prime Minister had, I think, forgotten it.

“Mr Takatori is apparently concerned to hear that there is a German rival to his Margaret Thatcher rose.”

Mr Powell then wrote to a Japan-based British expat who was a personal friend of Mr Takatori, saying: “The two roses are different in appearance but if an error has been made, the Prime Minister very much hopes that it can be satisfactorily and easily resolved.

“We can understand your concern and would like to assure Mr Takatori of our high regard for the masterpiece he named.”

While admiring the German flower, Mrs Thatcher commented: “A blue rose would be too much to expect.”